Many field-effect transistor (FET) chips can be used for both commercial and military applications. For instance, chips made using silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology can be employed for general commercial use, as well as in environments such as aerospace applications requiring radiation hardened devices. Government regulations, however, sometimes specify that these devices be sold only for commercial use and that military applications are prohibited. An effective way to prevent unauthorized usage is to be able to render the chips inoperable when they are used for an unintended purpose, such as non-commercial use in a radiation hardening environment.
Thus, techniques for providing a mechanism for chips to self-destruct when used in an unauthorized manner would be desirable.